TMDS64EVM: Feedback on https://dev.ti.com/tirex/content/tirex-product-tree/processors-devtools/am64x_gpevm_quick_start_guide.html

Jim Mrowca

Part Number: TMDS64EVM
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: AM6442, SK-AM64B

Tool/software:

A few questions on the TMDS64EVM quick start guide AM64x EVM Quick Start Guide

1) Is this meant to encompass both the GP as well as the (B rev silicon) EVM? You probably don't want to highlight all of the differences between a GP (rev A silicon) and the present rev B silicon (since Oct 2023) -- most everyone going forward should be on the rev B silicon AM6442

2) It is quite hard to order 16GB microSD cards nowadays (although the EVM ships with a Sandisk 16GB microSD card) - 64MB microSD cards are more plentiful in 2025. (Just be careful if you are trying to format that bigger microSD on a Win 11 PC as "FAT16" is not easy to specify in most user accessible Windows tools)

Next feedback on the picture

3) On the left hand side = only need one of the 2 micro-USBs connected -- what is the reference designator? Should call out J26 (UART) as opposed to J28 (JTAG) in order that the MCU+ & CCS using folks do not get confused.

4) Also on the left hand side, you really should label SW1 as the "EVM power switch" . Note too that if you have J26 connected to the Linux PC prior to toggling SW1, some green LEDs may be on.

5) On the right hand side - RJ45's

I would think it would be better to use the CPSW jack J14, aka eth0, instead of the dual stack J21(A&B) - unless the example is written to use the dual stack - comments?

If you use the dual stack J21(A&B), after a good e2e discussion I had with Pekka (see (+) PROCESSOR-SDK-AM64X: Linux Academy (SDK v 10.1) - Wired Networking (1) no mention of eth2 (2) use ip instead of deprcated ifconfig? (3) reason for eth1 not showing up - Processors forum - Processors - TI E2E support forums ) we need to ensure that the lower of the dual RJ45 stack (aka eth2) is used by default "out of the box" - the upper (aka eth1) one is disabled "out of the box".

6) Dealing with Writing the WIC image to an SD card, I know from past e2e's with Bin Lu, that maybe balenaEtcher had problems (I have only used that on Windows PCs) - I wonder if some reference to the 1.1.2. Create SD Card — Processor SDK AM64X Documentation section 1.1.2.3. Create SD Card using bmap-tools could be hyperlinked for Linux PC users here?

regards

Jim

10 months ago

0 Jim Mrowca 10 months ago

Genius 4132 points

Pinging (27) Nick Saulnier's Profile - Nick Saulnier - TI E2E support forums

0 Nick Saulnier 9 months ago

TI__Guru** 108960 points

Hello Jim,

1) Are you referring to the note "Additional steps for AM64x SR1.0?" We will keep that note, there are still customers using the old EVMs in their development. However, I do see that the link in the note is broken, so I will make a note to fix that at some point.

2) ok, but the document only says don't use smaller than 16GB. More than that, I would be worried about people running into the issue where some models of SD cards will boot, and some will not. Please refer to the EVM user's guide "Issue 3 - uSD Card Boot Not Working" https://www.ti.com/lit/spruj63

3, 4) no plans to update graphic since nothing is wrong with it. labels would be nice, but the arrows are pointing to the port that should be used

5) It doesn't matter which Ethernet port is connected. Any of the 3 ports should work for a customer doing the out-of-the-box Linux image. However, there are 4 possible interfaces that could connect to those 3 ports, so whether the 3rd port is connected to CPSW or PRU Ethernet will depend on the devicetree file used.

6) I will discuss with Bin. In general, I have not seen people complaining that they were unable to create an SD card image when following the quick start guide.

Regards,

Nick

0 Jim Mrowca 9 months ago in reply to Nick Saulnier

Genius 4132 points

Ok Nikc, I agree on 1) given AM6442a* silicon is still out there.

on 2) you might want to check this 2 weeks old microSD card dialog (with Prashant in Bengaluru) out: (39) SK-AM64B: Compatibility of microSD cards - Processors forum - Processors - TI E2E support forums

Although it deals with the SK-AM64B as well, there seems to be some "workarounds" in u-boot; but it does raise questions as to what has / has not been tested on SD cards. Hard to test and catalog all combinations out there!

I am watching your SD card dialog on (39) AM6442: Clone of working image doesn't work on HS-FS but does on GP device. - Processors forum - Processors - TI E2E support forums as well.

on 5) something about the default device tree would be useful - wrt eth1 though, my recent dialog with Pekka (39) TMDS64EVM: Mapping of the prebuilt Linux AM64x SDK image to eth2 (eth0, eth1) requested - Processors forum - Processors - TI E2E support forums does make me question what is the default device tree out of the box. (that being said maybe eth0 and eth2 are the good choices per se).

6) Bin had noted more recent Balena etcher version have problems ((39) TMDS64EVM: SD Card booting on latest SDK release - Processors forum - Processors - TI E2E support forums)

0 Jim Mrowca 9 months ago in reply to Jim Mrowca

Genius 4132 points

Hi Nick - have you had a chance to check with Prashant on point 2) , with Pekka on point 5), and with Bin on point 6) ?

thanks

Jim

0 Nick Saulnier 9 months ago in reply to Jim Mrowca

TI__Guru** 108960 points

Hello Jim,

Bin and I just updated the Quick Start Guide source code to mention the pullup resistor fix.

I am not sure what you are hoping for with the Ethernet. All 3 of the Ethernet ports on the board connect to the processor, and all 3 work. Eth0 vs Eth1 vs Eth2 should not matter for the out-of-the-box demo experience.

I am not sure that the mapping between ethX <--> CPSW portY / ICSSG portY is fixed. If I recall properly, the association is created during Linux boot time (basically, the first driver to be ready gets to be eth0, the next one is eth1, etc). Either way, that would be a discussion for the Linux academy, not the getting started doc.

TBD on if we add a note about Balena etcher to the Quick Start Guide as well.

Regards,

Nick

0 Jim Mrowca 9 months ago in reply to Nick Saulnier

Genius 4132 points

Nick:

Ok wrt 5) on your comment "mapping between ethX <--> CPSW portY / ICSSG portY is fixed." should be a Linux Academy point - do you want me to e2e log that?

On 6) I do prefer the Linux native bmap-tools approach over Balena etcher especially for someone that only has a Linux PC available.

later

Jim